Biography of Imam al-Mawsili Tabraze Azam © 2017

Imam `Abd Allah ibn Mahmud ibn Mawdud al-Mawsili1 , (Abu al-Fadl, Majd
al-Din) [599-683 AH]

He (may Allah be pleased with him) was born in Mosul on a Friday in the
month of Shawwal, 599AH. He initially took sacred learning from his father,
Abu al-Thana’ Mahmud, and subsequently travelled to Damascus and took
from Jamal al-Din al-Husayri. Incidentally, his father and brothers2 were also
from the scholars of his time.

His teachers include: Abu Hafs `Umar ibn Tabarzad, Shihab al-Din al-
Suhrawardi, Abu al-Majd al-Karabisi, `Ali ibn al-Hajib, and Muhy al-Din ibn
al-`Arabi. Hafiz al-Dimyati was from amongst his students and those who took
from him.

After his early studies and time away from home, he was appointed as the judge
(qadi) in Kufa. Some time later, he was removed from his position, and he then
migrated to Baghdad, took up residence there, and became a teacher at the
resting place of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah be pleased with him).

There he remained, teaching and giving legal verdicts (fatawa) until he passed
away on the morning of the 19th Muharram, 683AH.

He was from the most brilliant scholars of his time in both legal theory (usul)
and law (fiqh), and he had mastered the school (madhhab). He was of the
greatest of jurisconsults (fuqaha), expertly writing one of the most relied upon
primers (mutun) in the Hanafi school during his youth.

When he would be asked to give a legal verdict (fatwa), he wouldn’t need to

take recourse to texts due to his tremendous mastery and complete familiarity
and understanding of them, as well as their specific, sound application.

From his works are al-Mukhtar li al-Fatwa, and its commentary al-Ikhtiyar li
Ta`lil al-Mukhtar, and al-Mushtamil `ala Masa’il al-Mukhtasar. There are some
biographies which also state that he had a commentary on Imam Muhammad
ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani’s al-Jami` al-Kabir.

1Qurashi, al-Jawahir al-Mudiyya fi Tabaqat al-Hanafiyya, 2.349; Lacknawi, al-Fawa’id al-Bahiyya fi Tarajim al-Hanafiyya, 106; Qari,
al-Athmar al-Janiyya fi al-Asma’ al-Hanafiyya, 348

2 `Abd al-Da’im, `Abd al-`Aziz and `Abd al-Karim.